2018 Chevrolet Equinox First Drive

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox AWD is finally here, this is good news to all Chevrolet’s enthusiasts out there. But what does the Equinox have to offer to us this time round? Competition in the world of SUVs is getting tougher. All major automakers are working round the clock to get the upper hand in the market. With that said, the Chevrolet hasn’t been left behind either. Their latest addition to their line-up packs quite a punch.

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has not only shed weight but is now more compact, strikingly well powered. The interior is more luxurious and exteriorly is just pristine.

2018 Chevrolet Equinox – Beautifully Sculpted

The exterior of this vehicle is a well-sculpted piece of art. It features an optional sunroof, which helps brighten up the vehicles interior mood. Upfront the vehicle features its usual elegant chrome grille, which is flanked on the sides by two headlights that are slightly curved towards the body.

The body is also beautifully sculpted, with fine lines and well-curved grooves running along its sides. The rear is marvelous, featuring a rear window that flawlessly curves around the body of the vehicle. Complementing the window, are two beautifully designed backlights. The vehicle rides on 17-inch chrome rims, however, one can opt for 18-inch rims too.

Interior Design

Moving on, the interior is spacious and also provides a lot of leg and head room. However, it can comfortably accommodate five adults. For those with a taste for luxury, the Chevrolet Equinox interior comes with well trimmed all leather seats. Which are all fitted with heating and ventilation for the comfort of the occupier.

The back seats of the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox can also be folded to increase space to carry more load if necessary. However, on the technological side, the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox packs the latest gadgets. It features a well-curved dashboard that holds the 8.0-inch touch screen, that comes with Chevy’s MyLink setup. Connectivity options provided by the onboard OnStar communication system include 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. Other features also include Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay.

Safety Features

The Chevrolet safeguards your life by equipping their vehicles with state of the art safety technologies. The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox sports safety features such as front and side airbags, Rollover Protection System, Lane Departure Warning and Brake Assist.

Engine Performance

Under the hood, the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox comes with an optional 2.4-liter or 3.6-liter engine. Test drives have shown that the 2.4-liter engine producing about 182 horsepower, that is underpowered and struggles to compete with its peers. It barely achieves the said acceleration of 60 mph in 8.9 seconds.

So if you don’t want to lag behind traffic, the 3.6-liter engine is the best choice for you. This version produces 301 HP. The 2.4-liter comes with a lazy, six-speed gearbox that doesn’t shift down well. On the other hand, the 3.6-liter version has the nine-speed gearbox, that not only powers well, but is also smooth, especially when cruising on the highways.

Release Date, Pricing and Rivals

Unfortunately, the pricing is disappointing, with a starting price of $24,000 for the most basic vehicle. When I say basic, it means the car doesn’t come with the more premium features. The 3.6-liter engine models are likely to be more expensive.

Other vehicles in this class that is giving the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox a run for its money includes, the Mazda CX-5 and Hyundai Tucson.